Karen McCool

Karen McCool was born in Philadelphia, PA, in 1967 and raised in West Chester, PA, where she lives and paints today. Since 2019, she has honed her painting practice to playfully illustrate human connection through nostalgic vignettes of daily life. Characterized by humor, her light-hearted renderings are created in an alla prima style with bold color.

McCool’s work is exhibited throughout the greater Philadelphia area. In 2022, she held solo exhibitions at Beacon Art Gallery in Stone Harbor, NJ, and The Chester County Art Association in West Chester, PA. She was also included in the 2023 Historic Yellow Springs Juried Art Show. Her work is in collections throughout the U.S.


Artist Statement

I’m a contemporary realist oil painter who spends an excessive amount of time looking through #foundphotos on Instagram. With the photographer's consent, I use these vintage photos as inspiration for my work. With a bold palette and thick brushstrokes, the resulting narrative paintings are meant to ignite conversations around shared memories and remind us of our humanity, showing that we’re all in this together.

My desire to paint from vintage photos began after my mom developed dementia. I saw how much joy she derived from looking through old albums, even when she didn’t recognize the people. This sparked my fascination with memory, connection, and nostalgia. Dementia is such a heavy topic; I’m happiest when I can capture transient, often humorous moments that remind the viewer to share their memories and pass on their stories. And so much the better if it leads to a laugh.


www.karenmccool.com

Who and/or what are your influences when you were first starting out vs. now?

Okay, this is going to sound weird, but truly, one of my biggest influences when I started making art was a quote from Wayne Dyer: "Don't die with the music still in you." A little woo-woo, but there you have it. I always wanted to try painting, but my career took a very different path. It wasn't until after retirement and a few "how-to-find-your-purpose" books later that I finally picked up a brush for the first time. It was either paint or pursue my backup dream of becoming just like Grandma Josephine in Willy Wonka (you know, just livin' in a bed with three other really old people). So, with great anticipation, I began my painting journey!

Plot twist: I immediately started doubting my painting journey. I was kvetching with a friend one day, wondering why I even bothered when there were so many other artists who were so much better than me. She stopped me and asked, "What if every artist after Rembrandt said the same thing? Or every writer after Shakespeare?" And she was right. Damn her.

So yeah, we all have Wayne Dyer and my friend Bonnie to thank for any truly awful crap I put into the world. It's entirely their fault. Please address all complaints to basicbitchbonnie@yahoo.com.


What is your favorite thing about the materials you use?

Oh, oil paint... How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

But seriously, I love oil paint because the color doesn't shift when it dries, unlike acrylic or gouache. I can slap it on with one coat, unlike watercolor that requires many layers. But I think the thing I love most about oil paint is: if I make a mistake, it forgives me! Unlike pen and ink. Or Christine. That's right, I'm looking at you, Christine, and I hope you're reading this... I already said I was sorry I pushed you into that old lady, but she was about to take the last roll of toilet paper, and I had no choice. It was a pandemic.


What would you say is hidden just underneath the surface of your work? Meaning, what are you revealing to your viewers?

The one important meaning or revelation that I hope viewers can take away from my work is this: "The realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own." The word for this is "sonder," from The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows. (Watch the YouTube video. You'll thank me later.)

We need to stop seeing each other as "us vs. them." That’s the kind of divisive rhetoric authoritarians encourage. As much as modern technology connects us, it can also widen the divides between us. When I was a kid, we had three channels plus VHS. We all watched the same shows like All in the Family and Mary Tyler Moore. Now, with a bajillion channels and streaming services, our "tribes" have shrunk, and correspondingly, our respect for differing opinions. Our political discourse has devolved into name-calling and even physical violence.

It seems to me that it’s always a good time to be reminded of what we have in common and that we're all in this together (yeah, even that weirdo at work). Ultimately, we all want the same things: to love and be loved, to be accepted for who we are, and to feel a sense of belonging. We all have our ambitions and worries, and we’re all fans of Betty White. (And if you're not a fan of Betty White, are you even human?)


Can you tell us about a turning point in your practice? Was there a moment when things started clicking

The turning point came when I stopped trying to paint subjects that I thought “would sell” and began painting images that fired me up, which were old retro photographs. (I especially adore the saturation in Kodachrome and Ektachrome film, in case you couldn’t tell by looking at my paintings.)

This desire to use vintage photos as reference began after my mom developed dementia. She absolutely loved looking through old albums, even when she didn’t recognize the people. This led to my fascination with memory, nostalgia, and connection.

Looking through #FoundPhotos on Instagram, I discovered many folks who buy, sell, and collect old photos. Every photo tells a story, and every photo reminds me that we all want the same things: to love and be loved, to be accepted for who we are, and to feel a sense of belonging. In my paintings, I’m happiest when I can capture transient, often humorous moments that remind the viewer that we have more in common than not. By sharing our stories, we better understand each other. So, share your stories, ask others to share theirs, and let it lead to a laugh.


In honor of our women’s issue, who are three women and/or gender nonconforming artists that inspire you?

Just three? How dare you! Fine… under protest, I give you the following:

First, Barbara Kruger, who is simply a badass. She gave us a visual language to question who has power, consumerism, and gender roles. I was six years old when Roe v. Wade first gave women reproductive freedom. I was seven in 1974 when women first earned the right to open a bank account without a man’s signature. I had been married for one year and was 22 years old in 1989 after various laws gutting Roe v. Wade had passed and more were being proposed. That was the year Kruger created her iconic work: "Your Body is a Battleground." No offense to Ms. Kruger, but I'm looking forward to the day when her works are no longer relevant. Unfortunately, that day is not today.

Next is Ashley Longshore. I love the story of her career (she is tenacious AF), and I admire her for being unapologetically her authentic self.

And finally, my friend, interdisciplinary artist, and sensei: Mia Fabrizio. She is seriously the hardest-working artist I know. Check her out: www.miafabrizio.com. Yup, this is me plugging a fellow Philly-area artist/friend. It’s called supporting others. Everyone should try it. And I totally have no ulterior motives, nor would I ever expect that when she becomes rich and famous (and she will), she will return the favor. Because I am not a self-serving asshole. (Someone put that in my obituary. TIA.)